Need to make a decision.

Not sure which route you want to go but i would perfer flatbed. No offence to any van drivers so plz don't get upset,but i enjoy getting out and having to strap,chain down my loads instead of just walking back opening up doors go back sit til they are done unloading me then go back and close the doors i get more exercise with flat bed. and the company helps me eat right and stay fit.

 

Zero exp, recent CDL school grad. Hired by company .. Then 10 days of co. training, 5 days w/road trainer and then solo. $150/mo tuition reimbursement for 3 years. Sometimes hazmat (mostly flammables) sometimes not.

 

Go with whatever takes you. Being fresh out of school with no experience does not grant you the option of being picky. After you have a few years you can start to pick and choose. The large main freight companies are the easiest to get into as a new driver.

Theres good money in hazmat and tankers, try looking into an environmental company in your area but know that your limited experience might hurt you.


Just asking which company is best will get you nowhere. You will get a hundred different opinions. Each trucker is different and therefore must find the company that best fits them. What is good for one might be horrible for the other.

 

This type of poor advice is why so many new drivers end up in bad situations. If you feel that you are in a position to have to settle for whomever takes you then better to skip trucking entirely. Sure if you want to be lazy, then take the path of least resistance.

On the other hand, if you put in some effort and have confidence in your abilities, you can do much better for yourself.

 

TMC has a 62 truck and frown when you go downhill at 63. There requirements are you must be at the reciever with all 14 hrs on your clock mon mourning. Meaning if you are 100 miles from the house you will drive sunday and sleep there. Not leave out at 5-6 am and be there for your appt.
You pull into their yard and a mech get up into your truck and inspects it for cleanliness. If you don't make your bed have the floors spotless they will give you safety points. Say you leave the house or just did laundry while in the truck and you went by their yard. At that time you decided to put away your clothes while sitting there. No you better put your clothes away before you get there.
I'm sure most mechs aren't that anal and being military it can be pretty easy to keep clean. However drinks fall over once in awhile.
They also give you the supplies to clean buff wax your truck. If you can keep the outside clean without waxing it. Good but if you need to get out the wax you better do it.
There all about show. Why do you think there mudflaps scrape when they dump the valve.

I don't like maverick but they are a 10X'S better than tmc as a company driver. They run it just like the military with a few freedoms. If you did good in the service you'll do good there. I'd rather go back in the military or work at fast food before going to tmc.
tmc will even give you parts like lights n such so you can change a bulb thats out. And tell you to get a couple of tools.
Maverick states (I think he said it 3X's when I went thru). You drivers, NOT mechs.

Be on time get 10000 miles a month (if dispatched) 6.5 mpg. Easy to do. Budddy of mine keeps his foot on the floor at 68 and rides. Does not use cruise much and he's gets 6.9. He could do 70 but his mpg has to be up around 8.5 or so.
Be there by 10am mon mourning unless appt. says earlier.

Buddy of mine for awhile got home around 7-10 fri and left out 2-5 am mon. Made around 2700-3000 miles a week. Always delivered by the house mon. I always give him a hard time about his fleet mgr babied him. Then they switched the mgrs around. He still gets home for a 34. Sometimes he would have an appt for 2pm. So he doesn't leave until mon mourn. This usually happens if he won't be able to get home until late sat. If you don't have a 34 in. Stay until you do. If your think you can't get your 34 or you'll be late mon. Ask you mgr. He'll usually tell you to get your 34.

TMC doesn't care you better make your 7am appt.
Pay starts around .35 for 6mth then around a yr it will be 41. The .35 is because they know you won't get 10000 for awhile. Maybe 8-9000 and their risk in you. Until you get a groove going and can have a coil chained and tarped from time it touches the deck in less than 20-35 mins.

Maverick has an agreement with a local community college nearby and pays for it.
Van reefer you should make about .31-.35 a mile don't go any less.

Don't ever lease. Save up and buy cash.

 

Yea. I guess it's better to sit around for a year or so not working and hoping that you get the company of your choice instead of making money and getting experience while you continue to apply elsewhere.

 

Living there and you want flatbed go down to us steel staging yard and talk to the drivers. Just pull in the truck entrance and follow one around to where he gets out.

Ask them what division you are in. Northeast will get home every week vs eastern and then us verse How often are you home and for how long.
This will tell you how much the company stands behind there promises.
What your average miles a week. They say well it all depends. Ok so for the last 2 mths what are your miles home time.
It doesn't matter how fast the trucks go. Your 1st 6mths keep it 2 mph slower than traffic and at or below speed limit.
I guarantee in about 1 hr you can get 10 people info from each company. Also ask them what they want out of the company. What they want may work for them but not you and they may come up with another question you might not thought of. Are you given any loads in advance. Some drivers know what their doing for the next 2-3 days. appt times are not set yet but but they know where and what.

Go home look them up online, call. Then go back down there again. Not sure but PGT is not to bad, might take students. Covered wagons and northeast only.

If the recruiter starts making promises tell them to sign it. Well you were the military. However if you have it signed, this isn't the military. The recruiter would have to honor it a compensate you if its broken.

 

I AGREE

This will never get you anywhere. You have to go broke before you get started in tucking. If you loose your house and family trying to start a new job. Then you shouldn't start the job. Yeah you can always change after 6mths-a yr. However thats why we have so many steering wheel holders and not enough drivers on the road.

If the company takes the time to do it right and train you to drive and think on your seat. Its a better company for it.

They used to say a truck driver is my dad. Meaning people used to look up to truck drivers. Applauded them for what we do. Let the driver over when his signal was on and needed off at that exit.

Now its my DADDY is a truck driver. I want him to put food clothes in the HOUSE. Most of all I WANT HIM HOME.

 

You would only sit around for a year if you are an idiot. And only an idiot would believe that you have to work for one of the 10-20 largest companies to start out with. There are 400,000+ trucking companies in the U.S. Fools would have you believe there are only 20 or so.

Come to think of it, I can understand why you gave the advice you did.

 

Tmc is set at 64. Werner at 65. Others is unknown.